Cooling unit



March 25,` 1930.

H WHITFIELD COOLING IJNIT Filed kJuly 30, '1927 2 Sheets-Sheel 1 Hd, Hm/e DNn N.

Il" A w. A H H AMwch 25, i930. .H WHHFELD' 1,751,899

COOLING UNIT Filed July 30, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOH HIS A TTOHNEYl/ Harry A. w/ve/d,

Patented Mar. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE HARRY A. WHITFIELD, OF ARLINGTON,NEW JERSEY COOLING UNIT Application' led July 30,

The. invention relates to cooling units for refrigerating machines andmore particularly to means applicable tosuch units for preventing theice drawers of said units from l freezing in their closed position.

- dles of the drawers and then lifting up when` The cooling units ofrefrigerating machines are provided with one or more drawers, forfreezing ice or desserts. While the drawers are closed during theprocess of freezing the ice, or the drawers might be empty, moisturefrom the atmosphere and from the foods placed in the refrigerator col--lects on the cooling unit and all its parts and freezes. Because ofthis collecting and freezing of the moisture upon the cooling unit theice trays or drawers become frozen in position. If not frozen too hardthe drawers may be removed by tapping or twisting the hanpulling thedrawers out, or, placing a steaming v cloth against the front of thedrawers. However as a rule they become frozen so hard that it isnecessaryto defrost the vcooling unit. This entails shutting olf theentire system which causes great annoyance and inconvenience as therefrigerator must'be opened to the atmosphere while the unit is beingdefrosted and the contents become heated and may spoil. It also takesconsiderable time during which one must wait for his frozen dessert orice cubes. Rather than have all this bother the user very often willforce the drawers open with some handy tool, resulting in ruining themfor further use.

The vobject of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty andto provide means of an exceedingly simple nat-ure forcooperating withthe drawers and their supporting means to absolutely prevent the drawersfrom freezing to their supporting means.

Several forms 0f theyinvention are described in the followingspecification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming apart thereof. Referring-to said drawings: Y v

Fig. 1 is a front elevation ofone. type of cooling unit extensivelyused. In-this View parts are broken out to illustrate the invention;

Y Fig. 2^is a fragmentary cross sectional view 1927. Serial No. 209,418.

on a larger scale of one drawer and its supporting means;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional perspective view showing amodification; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing another modification.

The cooling unit illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a drawer support vorcompartment 6 which houses a plurality of drawers 7. These drawers ortrays may be of any suitable shape or size and as illustrated, the twoupper ones have division walls for forming ice cubes and the lower onemay be larger and is used for freezing desserts.

The conduit 8 leading from Ia condensing coil or other source 'suppliesthe refrigerant solution to the header 9 from where it circulatesthrough the-staggered U-tubes 10. The fluid boils in the U-tubes and isconverted into a gas during which time it absorbs the heat and causesrefrigeration. The gas passes off through the conduit 11 which leads tova compressor or suitable mechanism to condense it and bring it back to aliquid state, whence it is again su plied to the inlet conduit 8.V Theforegoing briefly describes a well known form of cooling unit. Numerousother types of cooling units are employed in mechanical refrigerationand the invention is applicable to all of them.

As heretofore explained when the cooling unit `is in operation Athemoisture from the atmosphere and foods in the refrigerator will collecton all parts of the unit and freeze. The freezing of the collectedmoisture at the points of contact between the drawers and thecompartment or the drawer supports causes the drawers to freeze shut,making it very dicult and almost impossible to open them. The inventionprovides means for preventing this.

Secured to the supports l2 are troughs 13 which carr an absorbentmaterial, preferably remova le felt strips 14. The troughs 13 arepreferably of non-rusting material. The strips'14 are saturated with asolution of glycerine, glycerol or lfluid having a low freezing polnt.Glycerine is particularly advantageous to use as a solution for thispurpose. It has a low freezing point and does not tend to evaporaterapidly. It is odorless and will not taint even the most 'delicate foodsthat may be placed in the refrigerator'. It is inexpensive and a smallamount will saturate the pads/14 and last for a great length of time. Itacts as a perfect lubricant under the conditions it is exposed to inthecooling unit and the drawers may be' readily opened at any time withoutAthe inconvenience and annoyance of finding them frozen in their closedposition. y

@ther holders 15 and strips 16 may be used at the sides of the drawers.In fact the invention contemplates suitable means for applyingglycerine, glycerol or a fluid having similar properties, at all pointsof Contact between the drawers and the parts of the unit. It isdesirable to have the strips removable so that they may readily andinexpensively be renewed when soiled or worn after long usage.

Fig. 4 shows an alternate form in which the trough 17 carries aremovablemember 18 which is provided with a series of pockets for holding discsor insets 19 of absorbent material to which the glycerine may beapplied.

Fig. 5 illustrates another form in which the wall of the drawer support12 may be suitably formed as indicated at.20 to carry the strip 21 ofabsorbent material for the glycerine.

The carrying medium for the glycerine might be of any desired shape andsupported in any suitable manner at the points of contact between thedrawers and their supports or the compartment. While glycerine has beenfound to be the most desirable and easiest obtainable iuid to use, allothers having the same properties would be acceptable.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings itis thought my invention will be clear and it is obvious that numerouschanges in detail and form may be made without departing from the spiritof the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a cooling unit for a refrigerating machine, means for chilling theunit, drawer supporting means located within the unit,

drawers carried bysaid supporting means,`

and means cooperating with said supportin means and said drawers forpreventing sai drawers fromq freezing to said supporting means, saidmeans including a carrying medium for a fluid havin a low freezingpoint.

2. In a cooling unit or a refrigeratmg machine, means for chilling theunit, drawer supporting means located within the unit, drawers carriedby said supporting means, and means cooperatingwith said supportin meansand said drawers for preventing sai drawers from freezin to said suppartingI means, said means me uamg remove, le absorbent members and aHuid having a low 4. In a cooling unit for a refrigerating mai chine,means for chilling the unit, drawer supporting means located Within theunit, drawers carried by said supporting means, and means cooperatingwith said drawers, said cooperating means-including a carrying mediumfor for preventing the drawers from freezing in said unit. p i

5. In a cooling unit the combination with a cooling compartment, of adrawer adapted to be sup orted in said compartment, absorbent memberscontacting with said drawer, and a Huid havin@ a'low freezing pointcarried by said absorbent members, thereby preventing the drawer fromfreezing in said compartment. 6. In a cooling unit the combination witha'cooling compartment, of a drawer adapted to .be supported in saidcompartment, and glycerine saturated members contacting with saiddrawer, thereby preventing the drawer from freezing in said compartment.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

` l HARRY A. WHITFIELD.

n glycerine, and `a quantity of glycerine carried by said cooperatingmeans

